As a Navy cryptologic technician (technical), Dorsey is responsible for the collection and security of classified material. Dorsey credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in West Memphis. “I was taught to be patient and kind to others and how to handle stress,” said Dorsey. Approximately 300 men and women serve aboard the ship. According to Navy officials, their jobs are highly specialized and keep each part of the cruiser running smoothly. They do everything from maintaining gas turbine engines and operating the highly sophisticated Aegis weapons system to driving the ship and operating small boats. Though there are many ways for sailors to earn distinction in their command, community, and career, Dorsey is most proud of possessing many different skills. “It gives me the chance to do many different jobs aboard the ship,” said Dorsey. A Navy cruiser is a multi-mission ship that can operate independently or as part of a larger group of ships at sea Navy officials explained. The ship is equipped with a vertical launching system, tomahawk missiles, torpedoes, guns and a phalanx close-in weapons systems. Being stationed in Pearl Harbor, often referred to as the gateway to the Pacific in defense circles, means Dorsey is serving in a part of the world taking on a new importance in America’s focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances, and reforming business practices in support of the National Defense Strategy. “Our priorities center on people, capabilities and processes, and will be achieved by our focus on speed, value, results and partnerships,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. “Readiness, lethality and modernization are the requirements driving these priorities.” The Navy has been pivotal in helping maintain peace and stability in the Pacific region for decades. The Pacific is home to more than 50 percent of the world’s population, many of the world’s largest and smallest economies, several of the world’s largest militaries, and many U.S. allies. Serving in the Navy is a continuing tradition of military service for Dorsey, who has military ties with family members who have previously served. Dorsey is honored to carry on that family tradition. “Both of my parents were in the military. My mom was in the Marines and my dad was in the Army,” said Dorsey. “I am continuing the legacy because I wanted to experience what I grew up with.” As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Dorsey and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes, one that will provide a critical component of the Navy the nation needs. “Serving in the Navy means to travel the sea while protecting people from potential threats,” added Dorsey.

]]>https://starnewsvip.com/2019/02/21/west-memphis-native-serves-aboard-guided-missile-cruiser-in-pearl-harbor-hawaii/feed/02579We Must Tackle the Suicide Epidemic Among Veterans and Active-Duty Service Membershttps://starnewsvip.com/2019/02/20/we-must-tackle-the-suicide-epidemic-among-veterans-and-active-duty-service-members/
https://starnewsvip.com/2019/02/20/we-must-tackle-the-suicide-epidemic-among-veterans-and-active-duty-service-members/#respondWed, 20 Feb 2019 23:05:37 +0000https://starnewsvip.com/?p=2573We Must Tackle the Suicide Epidemic Among Veterans and Active-Duty Service Members by Andrew L. Yarrow We rightfully mourn the approximately 7,000 U.S. members of the armed services who have died in the long wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Yet, the death toll from more than 17 years of war is slightly less than the yearly total of suicides by active-duty service members and veterans. Twenty veterans and active-duty military commit suicide every day in the United States. They account for one-sixth of the more than 47,000 Americans who died by suicide in 2017. Veteran suicide rates are about 50 percent higher than rates among the general population, Keita Franklin, the national director for suicide prevention in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), said during a standing-room-only Capitol Hill briefing last month organized by the Men’s Health Network and the Congressional Men’s Health Caucus. Young service members and veterans, as well as vets 55 and older are most likely to kill themselves. Why is this happening, and why now? Most veterans and active-duty service members don’t seek help because they don’t want to be perceived as “broken,” hurt their careers, or believe they can solve their problems on their own, according to Dr. Adam Walsh, director of research and program evaluation for the Defense Department’s Suicide Prevention Program. In addition, many veterans are isolated, feeling that there is nowhere that they belong. During the hearing, Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO), a newly elected Congressman who was an Army Ranger and had served in the 82d Airborne Division, spoke of how the “warrior culture” among those who have been in combat is “a huge barrier to getting the help you need.” Many men, in general, feel that it is “unmanly” to talk about and find help for depression and other mental-health issues. As Rep. Crow emphatically said: “You are not weak to seek help.” Because veterans have become an ever-smaller proportion of the American population, it may be that they don’t get as much social support as they did a generation or two ago. However, many of the millions of Vietnam War-era veterans were also ignored in the immediate aftermath of the conflict. Another more recent factor is that suicide prevention outreach by the VA has fallen during 2017 and 2018, according to a recent report by the Government Accountability Office. More broadly, veteran suicides are undoubtedly part of the disturbing growth of what Princeton economists Angus Deaton and Anne Case have called “deaths of despair,” including opioid and other drug-overdose deaths, in the 21st century. Suicide rates have risen by 21 percent among the general population and 26 percent among veterans between 2005 and 2016. In the overall population, men are 3 ½ times more likely than women to kill themselves, and men commit nearly all military suicides. And, for every suicide, there are 20 suicide attempts, Maureen Elias, assistant director of the Veterans Health Council, said. Experts have many ideas about how to fight this tragic epidemic. Walsh and Franklin spoke of identifying risk factors like isolation and financial problems. Any risk factors should be identified at the time of discharge, said Dr. David Gremillion, a former officer, retired professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina, and board member of the Men’s Health Network. Although the VA and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration have a suicide prevention “lifeline,” 1-800-273-TALK (8255), many experts believe such crisis lines have limited benefit. People on the verge of committing suicide are unlikely to find the number and pick up their phones. The VA has called for more research and education, expanded prevention and treatment efforts, and greater collaboration between all types of suicide-prevention efforts at assessing at-risk veterans’ access to guns. Preventing veteran suicide “also requires effective networks of support, communication, and care across the communities where veterans live and work,” a 2018 VA report said. As Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), co-chair of the Men’s Congressional Caucus with Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr. (D-NJ), said: “One percent of our population is protecting 100 percent of our freedoms.” It’s time that we protect current and former service members from the scourge of suicide. “whatever is being done now isn’t working,” Gremillion said. “Data on risk factors should be in a national electronic medical records database that all health-care providers can access. When you consider the magnitude of the problem, we need a more comprehensive and systematic process, including discharge assessment, localized outreach, and diffusion of individual veterans’ mental health records to physicians, while protecting patients’ privacy.” Andrew L. Yarrow is a Men’s Health Network Advisor, former New York Times reporter, history professor, and policy analyst at several Washington think tanks whose new book, Man Out: Men on the Sidelines of American Life , examines how millions of American men are struggling with work, fatherhood and family, health and addiction issues, and their identity as men. Men’s Health Network (MHN) is an international non-profit organization whose mission is to reach men, boys, and their families where they live, work, play, and pray with health awareness messages and tools, screening programs, educational materials, advocacy opportunities, and patient navigation. Men can learn more about their health through MHN’s online resource center, www.MensHealthResourceCenter.com Learn more about MHN at www.MensHealthNetwork.org .Follow on Twitter @MensHlthNetwork and Facebook at www.facebook.com/menshealthnetwork.
]]>https://starnewsvip.com/2019/02/20/we-must-tackle-the-suicide-epidemic-among-veterans-and-active-duty-service-members/feed/02573Biting Into Food Accesshttps://starnewsvip.com/2019/02/20/biting-into-food-access/
https://starnewsvip.com/2019/02/20/biting-into-food-access/#respondWed, 20 Feb 2019 22:34:41 +0000https://starnewsvip.com/?p=2570Biting Into Food Access by Sandra Renner By addressing key issues in food, farm, small business, and community-level and institutional policy, there is potential to identify strengths, changes needed, and gaps in the food system. Good food policy and effective coordination between food system stakeholders will produce strong farms, open new or existing markets that are difficult to access, cultivate a resilient food economy, and preserve a healthy future for all rural Americans. A food system is a large and complex structure that contains many smaller, overlapping systems. A lot of discussion has been held about how best to define “local” in “local food.” Similarly, as communities begin to think about their local foodsheds, or the physical geography required to feed a given population, the boundaries and definitions of those foodsheds may vary and overlap. In our newest report, we took a look at the overall food system in our home state. In Nebraska, more than $4.4 billion is spent annually on food and 90 percent of that comes from outside of the state. The food system is reliant on other areas of the country, the strength of their food systems and local economies, and the availability of their natural resources to feed its population. We discuss demographics, agricultural production, consumption and access, and food waste patterns. Across the country, you may find similarities in your own food systems and we hope you’ll be inspired to take a look at the food landscape of your communities. Established in 1973, the Center for Rural Affairs is a private, non-profit organization working to strengthen small businesses, family farms and ranches, and rural communities through action oriented programs addressing social, economic, and environmental issues.
]]>https://starnewsvip.com/2019/02/20/biting-into-food-access/feed/02570Child Watch: ‘I Will Never Forget That Day’https://starnewsvip.com/2019/02/19/child-watch-i-will-never-forget-that-day/
https://starnewsvip.com/2019/02/19/child-watch-i-will-never-forget-that-day/#respondTue, 19 Feb 2019 22:27:39 +0000https://starnewsvip.com/?p=2567Child Watch: ‘I Will Never Forget That Day’

by Marian Wright Edelman

“I was in my 4th period Holocaust history class. We were presenting our projects on hate groups found on college campuses…As we sat at our desks working on our computers after presenting our projects, we began to hear loud pops…I thought I was going to die. As I laid there, I begged God to please make it fast… “My classmates pulled me behind a filing cabinet where I called my mom and my dad and said what I thought would be my last goodbyes. I told them how much I loved them, and asked that they please tell my brothers the same. I was so petrified that I began hyperventilating. My classmates had to cover my face so the shooter wouldn’t hear my cries and come back. I will never forget that day. What I saw. What I did. What I experienced. What happened to my classmates.” This was 17-year-old high school senior Aalayah Eastmond’s testimony during a February 6 Congressional hearing on gun violence prevention, describing how she survived the mass shooting one year ago at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and the murders of 17 of her teachers, classmates, and friends, including two students who were killed in her classroom. Aalayah was forced to hide behind her friend Nicholas’s body to survive. She came to Washington to beg members of Congress to pass common sense gun legislation that will help keep her and millions of children safe and protect students in America’s schools from experiencing the same trauma she did. Aalayah has been speaking out for the past year about the horrors of that day, defying cruel adults who claimed she was a “crisis actor” and working through her nightmares and sense of survivor’s guilt. As a survivor of gun violence she is far from alone. In their new report A Nation of Survivors: The Toll of Gun Violence in America, Everytown for Gun Safety explains the scale of the shameful burden we place on our children and communities: “Every year, over 36,000 Americans are killed in acts of gun violence and approximately 100,000 more are shot and injured. With death and injury tolls this high, America is undeniably a nation of gun violence survivors. But the impact of gun violence extends far beyond those killed or injured. Gun violence in any form—whether a person witnessed an act of gun violence, was threatened or wounded with a gun, or had someone they know or care for wounded or killed—can leave a lasting impact on individuals.” Every day in America is that day for someone new. Aalayah’s family had already experienced gun violence—her uncle was killed by a gun when he was only 18—before Aalayah survived the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas. Everytown estimates millions of Americans have witnessed a shooting, had a friend, family member, fellow student, or colleague killed by a gun, or otherwise felt the deep pain and trauma of gun violence. They include children who have witnessed one parent kill another with a gun or seen a gun used at home as a source of control; those who have lost a friend or family member to suicide with a gun and are left with grief about what they might have done to prevent it; parents and family members who left a gun stored unlocked in a dresser or under the front seat of a car where a child found and used it; and gun owners whose guns were used by others, intentionally or unintentionally, to take a life. When we count the victims of gun violence, far too we often we do not include all the survivors who feel the pain indirectly but often just as intensely. Survivors often are left with profound grief, anger and fear; physical and behavioral health challenges; economic burdens; and overwhelming guilt. The Everytown Survivor Network is just one resource for people who have experienced gun violence in any way. At the same time that survivors seek healing and peace, many of them, like Aalayah, are also on the front lines seeking justice and change for those they have lost. The February 6 hearing where Aalayah testified was the first Congressional hearing on gun violence in eight years, a sign of progress after far too much delay. The good news is that the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019 (H.R. 8) and the the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2019 (H.R. 1112), both of which strengthen existing background check laws, were passed by the House Judiciary Committee and will be considered by the full House of Representatives. In a nation of survivors we must all demand more of a sense of urgency and effective action from our leaders to stop the slaughter of our children. During the hearing the gallery was filled with young people, parents of children killed at Parkland, and other survivors demanding that our leaders do something to protect them, not guns. Aalayah ended her testimony: “Rather than listen to special interests, I ask you to listen to the nation’s young people and the overwhelming majority of Americans, who have had enough. We have had enough of the gun violence rampant in our schools, in our movie theaters, our places of worship, in nightclubs and restaurants, on our streets, and in our communities. Enough. We have ​all ​had enough. I hope ​you ​have had enough too and use the power the people have vested in you to do what is right.” May God help enough adults in America choose to stand up and protect the children God has entrusted to our care! Marian Wright Edelman is Founder and President Emerita of the Children’s Defense Fund whose Leave No Child Behind® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. For more information go to www.childrensdefense.org.

by Glenn Ellis Women, especially women of color and poor women, tend to suffer disproportionately in our healthcare system. The problem is growing worse now that there’s a group of trial lawyers eager to exploit female victims, under the guise of offering help. Take for instance that roughly one-quarter of U.S. women suffer from pelvic floor disorders, and according to the Washington Post, about 3-4 million of them have been treated with transvaginal mesh. The vast majority of these women receive repairs using transvaginal mesh without complications, but a significant minority experienced serious problems. After the publicity surrounding this issue hit the fan, the lawyers pounced. It has come to light that a collaboration involving some law firms, doctors, and finance companies are pressuring women into unnecessary surgeries to remove the mesh. Giving new meaning to the term “insult to injury,” this phenomenon, according to the New York Times, is leading unsuspecting women to the operating table – even in cases when the removal could worsen the symptoms. If that’s not enough, some unscrupulous hedge funds are financing companies connected with law firms specializing in suing manufacturers of the mesh. These law firms often use overseas telemarketing callers in countries such as India and the Philippines to contact women, known to have had the mesh surgery, with offers to join in lawsuits to sue the mesh manufacturers. The New York Times highlighted a growing problem that tends to target women: the industry grown out of medical device settlements. For example, a court-ordered, charitable fund, the Common Benefit Trust, established out of the Dow Corning breast implant settlement fund, which also resulted from a faulty medical device. The Common Benefit Trust appears to have used some of this money to fund policy centers, advocacy groups, and a conference on litigation. Pelvic organ prolapse, a medical issue sought to be treated by the transvaginal mesh, is one of the most common reasons for women to have surgery. It is ranked among the top three reasons that women have hysterectomies. Then there are racial disparities. Compared with African-American women, Latina and White women had four to five times higher risk of symptomatic prolapse, thought to be in large part due to the lower rates of African-American women reporting the condition as a problem to doctors. Researchers see this pattern as part of a culture where African-American and/or poor women will not typically see the condition as a problem requiring them to consider surgery. Issues like the transvaginal mesh that has revealed disparate treatment of women are not new.All patients – but especially women patients and minority patients that have traditionally been marginalized – deserve better than to be exploited in some of their most vulnerable times. Those vulnerable times include childbirth and other areas of maternal health. Dr. Niva Lubin-Johnson, president of the National Medical Association, which represents more than 50,000 African-American physicians on issues of health disparities and justice, says, “There is a crisis for African-American women that is related to maternal mortality – and that’s across any economic level and educational level for African-American women. We are losing in that area,” she says. As for the transvaginal mesh, Lubin-Johnson says women must take extreme precaution when contacted by anyone about removals of that or any other device. “No, you go talk to your own physician about that and not to someone who is doing a cold call because of some possibility of joining a law suit…Talk to your own physician first; even if they were not the one who put the mesh in.” Since The New York Times began shining a light on these bad behaviors, federal prosecutors from the Eastern District of New York have begun investigating the allegations of unnecessary and unneeded vaginal mesh removal surgeries. According to reports, doctors, lawyers, financiers and others who may have been involved in the sham have been subpoenaed. So, if you’re considering medical treatment, be an informed consumer. Be sure to have your health care provider explain all of your options, as well as their possible risks and benefits. Though if these risks are not avoided, by all means, beware of financial lures to have surgeries that you do not need and that could leave you in a condition far worse than before. Glenn Ellis is a Research Bioethics Fellow at Harvard Medical School, and a health columnist and radio commentator who lectures, nationally and internationally on health-related topics. He is also the author of “Which Doctor?” and “Information is the Best Medicine”.

]]>https://starnewsvip.com/2019/02/19/doctors-lawyers-with-monetary-motives-cause-painful-decisions-in-womens-health-care/feed/02563Applications For Scholarships For Minority Students In Chemical Scienceshttps://starnewsvip.com/2019/02/19/applications-for-scholarships-for-minority-students-in-chemical-sciences/
https://starnewsvip.com/2019/02/19/applications-for-scholarships-for-minority-students-in-chemical-sciences/#respondTue, 19 Feb 2019 20:46:20 +0000https://starnewsvip.com/?p=2560Applications For Scholarships For Minority Students In Chemical Sciences The American Chemical Society (ACS) Scholars Program is offering renewable scholarships of $1,000 to $5,000 per year for African-American, Hispanic and Native American students entering chemistry-related fields. Qualified students may be studying at community colleges or four-year institutions. Graduating high school seniors and college freshmen, sophomores and juniors may apply. Eligible majors include but are not limited to chemistry, materials science, toxicology, biochemistry, chemical engineering and chemical technology. In addition to providing financial support, the ACS Scholars Program pairs students with academic and professional mentors to give them the opportunity to learn from those who have experienced similar challenges related to ethnicity. These relationships can span entire careers. Scholarship applications will be accepted online at the ACS Scholars Program website www.acs.org/scholars through March 1, 2019, for the academic year 2019-20. Additional information is available by calling 1-800-227-5558, extension 6250, or by emailing scholars@acs.org. The Scholars program, now in its 24th year, aims to build awareness of the value and rewards associated with careers in chemistry and to help students acquire the skills and credentials needed for success. Nearly 1,700 ACS Scholars have graduated with a bachelor’s degree in the chemical sciences, and a substantial number have gone on to graduate school and/or entered the workforce in their field. The ACS Scholars Program is generously supported by:

Partners $100,000
Air Products
AstraZeneca
Celgene
Covestro (formerly Bayer)
CME ACS – Chemical Marketing and Economics Group, ACS NY Section
Dow Chemical Co.
Genentech
Gilead
Pfizer
Xerox
The American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society, is a not-for-profit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS is a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. ACS does not conduct research, but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

]]>https://starnewsvip.com/2019/02/19/applications-for-scholarships-for-minority-students-in-chemical-sciences/feed/02560Lutheran Seminarians, College Students Invited to Apply for Bethesda Auxiliary Scholarshipshttps://starnewsvip.com/2019/02/19/lutheran-seminarians-college-students-invited-to-apply-for-bethesda-auxiliary-scholarships/
https://starnewsvip.com/2019/02/19/lutheran-seminarians-college-students-invited-to-apply-for-bethesda-auxiliary-scholarships/#respondTue, 19 Feb 2019 19:45:23 +0000https://starnewsvip.com/?p=2556Lutheran Seminarians, College Students Invited to Apply for Bethesda Auxiliary Scholarships The Bethesda Auxiliary, in partnership with Bethesda Lutheran Communities, is offering $30,000 in student scholarships for the 2019-20 school year. The scholarships are for undergraduate- or graduate-level students, including seminarians. “We’re excited to support youth who hope to put their talents and energy toward enhancing the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” said Karen Carter, president of the Bethesda Auxiliary. “Recognizing the achievements of students who have a shared interest in supporting our mission elevates us all. It’s gratifying to support these students in such a direct way.” The deadline to apply is May 17, 2019, with results to be announced by July 1, 2019. To download an application, go to https://www.bethesdalc.org/get-involved/scholarships/. Seminarian/Post-Graduate Students: Five $3,000 scholarships will be awarded to a Lutheran seminarian or post-graduate displaying interest in service to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in a congregational setting. The scholarship application is open to all eligible seminary/post-graduate students. Criteria: Be an active, communicant member of a Lutheran congregation. Be a current college senior, accepted to begin seminary studies in the fall, or currently be classified as a first-year or second-year student at any seminary affiliated with the WELS, LCMS, ELCA, LCMC, ELS or NALC. Students going on to their internship/vicarage year do not qualify. Have a commitment to inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities within the local parish. College and University Students: Five $3,000 scholarships will be awarded to junior and senior students pursuing undergraduate degrees in any academic area that will prepare them to serve and support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Criteria: Be an active, communicant member of a Lutheran congregation. Be classified as a freshman, sophomore or junior at an accredited college or university. Have a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Have a career objective in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities. About the Bethesda Auxiliary The Bethesda Auxiliary is a nationwide organization that reaches forward in faith, word and deed by sharing the love of Jesus with people who have developmental disabilities in partnership with Bethesda. Headquartered in Watertown, Wis., Bethesda is a national Christian organization, providing homes and other services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities since 1904. Bethesda strives to become a central point of connection that unites people who have disabilities with communities and provides essential resources to help them live their lives to the fullest through more than 300 programs across the country. For more information, go to http://www.bethesdalc.org/, like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Pinterest.
]]>https://starnewsvip.com/2019/02/19/lutheran-seminarians-college-students-invited-to-apply-for-bethesda-auxiliary-scholarships/feed/02556St. Jude Rock’N’ Roll Marathon’s 20th Year Of Music City Runninghttps://starnewsvip.com/2019/02/19/st-jude-rockn-roll-marathons-20th-year-of-music-city-running/
https://starnewsvip.com/2019/02/19/st-jude-rockn-roll-marathons-20th-year-of-music-city-running/#respondTue, 19 Feb 2019 18:44:18 +0000https://starnewsvip.com/?p=2553St. Jude Rock’N’ Roll Marathon’s 20th Year Of Music City Running The Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series® will celebrate 20 Years Running in Nashville with course updates and enhancements for the 2019 St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Nashville Marathon & ½ Marathon, taking place Thursday, April 25 through Sunday, April 28. This year runners will be treated to an All-American edition of running, music and football thanks to a partnered weekend with the NFL Draft. Taking inall that Nashville has to offer, participants will enjoy a brand-new start line experience, course adjustments based on runner feedback, and improved music engagement alongBroadway, Music Row, and the Nashville Sounds Stadium, all before an epic finish at Nissan Stadium. Additional details on the finish line festival and the headline concerts in conjunction with the NFL Draft will be released at a later date. “This year’s St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Nashville Marathon & ½ Marathon weekend is going to be special in a number of ways as we celebrate 20 Years Running in this amazing city,” said Keats McGonigal, Senior Regional Director for Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series. “As we keep the key components that have made this such a successful race over the years, we will be making some positive modifications, which when paired with the NFL Draft will create what is undoubtedly going to be a one-of-a-kind running weekend. With something for everyone, we are excited for people from all over the world to experience the magic of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series and this event in Nashville.” Event week for the 2019 St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Nashville Marathon & ½ Marathon kicks off with a free and open to the public Health & Fitness Expo at the Nashville Music City Center on Thursday, April 25 and continues into Friday, April 26. All race participants will visit the expo to pick up their race numbers and browse over 100 exhibitors featuring free samples, the latest in running gear and sports apparel, as well as a series of interactive clinics. On Saturday, April 27, runners will take to the Nashville streets with the 5K presented by Brooks at 6:45 a.m. followed by the marathon and half marathon at 7:15 a.m.; unchanged from last year. The weekend events conclude on Sunday afternoon with a one-mile race starting at 12:00 p.m. where participants can earn a third, bonus medal for taking on the Remix Challenge- two days of running over the weekend. Finally, starting at 1 p.m. more than 2,500 junior racers in grades K-7 will have their chance to complete the final mile of their modified marathon challenge during the KiDS ROCK­®Nashville, presented by the YMCA of Middle Tennessee. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital returns as the title partner and official charity of the 2019 St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Nashville Marathon & ½ Marathon. Last year more than 3,000 St. Jude Heroesparticipated in the race, raising over $2 million for the hospital by securing donations from family, friends and co-workers. Funds raised from St. Jude are instrumental in supporting the $2 million per day it takes to operate the hospital and allows families to never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food. Marathon & Half Marathon Courses:. · The 5K, marathon and half marathon courses will no longer come back on Broadway to run along the corrals for the marathon & half marathon, so entering start corrals from both sides of the street alleviating congestion at the start. · With the removal of the early turn off Demonbreun Street from last year’s course, participants can expect more road width and less turns at the start. · The best highlights on course remain, such as passing the famous Honky Tonk Bars on Broadway at the start, cruising past the Country Music Hall of Fame and Music City Center plus running tours through Music Row, Belmont University and The Gulch. · Both courses will continue to run through lively Belmont/Hillsboro and 12 South neighborhoods tying in the local community to celebrate and to cheer runners at their personal block parties. · Continuing the 2018 trend, the half marathon course will run through beautiful Bicentennial State Park before ending with an epic view as runners cross the Woodland Street bridge into the finish at Nissan Stadium. · The marathon course will offer some additional highlights through historic Germantown, Metro Center featuring a Mile of Music, fun and funky East Nashville, and beautiful Shelby Park. · Top highlight of the marathon course stays – an exclusive opportunity to run on the field at First Tennessee Park! Make sure you take a selfie! · New and improved corrals systems for runners to start with their fellow runners! 5K Course: · All the necessary race morning elements will be offered to 5K participants with a separate start from the marathon and half marathon next to the iconic Nashville Music City Center. · With the removal of an early turn from last year’s course, additional road width and less turns at the start, allowing runners to catch their stride and get on pace early in the race. · A slight change in 2019, athletes will have the opportunity to take in the beautiful view of Capitol Hill. For more information on the event, visit runrocknroll.comand follow St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Nashville Marathon & ½ Marathon on Twitter @RunRocknRollwith hashtag #RnRNashville. Media may contact press@runrocknroll.com. The St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Nashville Marathon & ½ Marathon will celebrate its 20th year running in the Music City on April 25-28, 2019. Featuring many of Nashville’s best live bands on 27 stages along the course, the musically themed road race annually attracts more than 30,000 runners. Saturday’s marathon, half marathon and 5K conclude with a finish line festival outside of Nissan Stadium. Race week kicks off with the two-day Health & Fitness Expo on Thursday, April 25 and Friday, April 26 at Music City Center. The one mile and the KiDS ROCK Nashville presented by YMCA of Middle Tennessee takes place on Sunday, April 28 at Nissan Stadium. For more information, please visit RunRocknRoll.com/Nashvilleor follow @RunRocknRollon Twitter with hashtag #RNRNASHVILLE. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series® is the world’s largest running series taking part in over 30 destination events around the world every year. Established in 1998, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series simple idea of making running fun has transformed both the U.S. and global running landscape by infusing the course with live bands, cheer teams and entertaining water stations, creating a block-party atmosphere for participants and spectators alike. Focused on running, music and community, race weekend kicks off with a free Health & Fitness Expo showcasing the latest in running gear, sports apparel, health and nutritional information and much more. Events culminate with an entertaining finish-line festival featuring some of the biggest names in music, with past performances including Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, O.A.R. Aloe Blacc, Pitbull, Flo Rida, The Band Perry, Fitz and the Tantrums, the Goo Goo Dolls and Bret Michaels. Further information about the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series can be found online at www.RunRocknRoll.com and follow @RunRocknRoll on all social platforms. As part of Wanda Sports Holdings, the IRONMAN Group operates a global portfolio of events that includes the IRONMAN® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN®70.3®Triathlon Series, 5150 Triathlon Series, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series®, Iron Girl®, IRONKIDS®, International Triathlon Union World Triathlon Series races, road cycling events including the UCI Velothon®Series, mountain bike races including the Absa Cape Epic®, premier marathons including the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon, trail running like Ultra-Trail Australia, and other multisport races. IRONMAN’s events, together with all other Wanda Sports Holdings events, provide more than a million participants annually the benefits of endurance sports through the company’s vast offerings. The iconic IRONMAN®Series of events is the largest participation sports platform in the world. Since the inception of the IRONMAN®brand in 1978, athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE®by crossing finish lines at the world’s most challenging endurance races. Beginning as a single race, IRONMAN has grown to become a global sensation with more than 230 events across 53 countries. For more information, visit www.ironman.com.
]]>https://starnewsvip.com/2019/02/19/st-jude-rockn-roll-marathons-20th-year-of-music-city-running/feed/02553Naval Support Activity Mid-South to Welcome New Commanderhttps://starnewsvip.com/2019/02/19/naval-support-activity-mid-south-to-welcome-new-commander/
https://starnewsvip.com/2019/02/19/naval-support-activity-mid-south-to-welcome-new-commander/#respondTue, 19 Feb 2019 18:12:11 +0000https://starnewsvip.com/?p=2550Naval Support Activity Mid-South to Welcome New Commander Naval Support Activity (NSA) Mid-South will hold a change of command ceremony on February 25, 2018 at 10 a.m. at the Mid-South Conference Center, 5700 Attu St, Millington, TN 38053. Capt. Michael S. Wathen of Evansville, Indiana, will relinquish command to Capt. Alonza “Al” Ross of Ashland, Mississippi, during a traditional Navy ceremony. The guest speaker for the ceremony is Rear Adm. Babette “Bette” Bolivar who served as the Commander, Navy Region Southeast during Wathen’s tour. “Captain Wathen has done a tremendous job representing the Navy in this tight knit Millington community,” said Bolivar. “I am excited to welcome Captain Ross and his family to the Southeast Region team.” Ross is no stranger to the installation or the local area. He is taking command after a successful tour as Director of Enlisted Distribution Division at Navy Personnel Command on board NSA Mid-South. Ross has also previously served as the executive officer for the installations Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island, and Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. “Command is one of the highest levels of trust that the Navy can place in a naval officer. I have seen first-hand how important the role of installations is in supporting warfighter capabilities and readiness,” said Ross. “I am grateful for the opportunity and look forward to continuing Captain Wathen’s work here in Millington.” Wathen has been the commander of NSA Mid-South since July 2017. He is following on to serve as the executive officer of the Naval Leadership and Ethics Center in Newport, Rhode Island. “My time in command of Naval Support Activity Mid-South has been unbelievably rewarding. The way this community supports the installation and its service members is truly amazing. Millington is the quintessential Navy town.” said Wathen. “We encountered our share of challenges, but working together we have made the Navy and the Mid-South better. I am going to miss being here.”
]]>https://starnewsvip.com/2019/02/19/naval-support-activity-mid-south-to-welcome-new-commander/feed/02550